2GJPD4R Jockey Oisin Murphy during Cazoo St Leger Day of the Cazoo St Leger Festival at Doncaster Racecourse. Picture date: Saturday September 11, 2021.
The 29-year-old four-time champion Flat jockey was fined £70,000 and banned from driving for 20 months, at Reading Magistrates’ Court today (3 July). The judge heard he gave a reading of 66mcg alcohol in 100ml breath – nearly twice the legal limit of 35mcg – seven hours after the accident in which the Mercedes he was driving left the road and hit a tree.
The prosecutor told the court police arrived at the scene of the accident, shortly after midnight on 27 April, to find Oisin speaking on his phone and his passenger, the owner of the car, lying on the ground.
“At the scene, he admitted he was the driver at the time of the collision,” the prosecutor said, adding that a request was made for a roadside breath test but there was a “misunderstanding between him and the officers”, and no sample was provided.
Oisin was taken to hospital, then to the police station, where he produced a breath sample at about 7am.
In mitigation, Oisin’s counsel said: “He accepts it was a grave error on his part and is deeply remorseful.”
He added that Oisin had asked him to apologise to his passenger, the public and other road users and his colleagues.
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Apologies
“He fully appreciates that driving with excess alcohol can have devastating consequences,” he said, noting that Oisin has no previous convictions and is a “relatively young man of good character”. He suggested a fine might be the appropriate punishment, citing his client’s “relatively limited” regular income of £1,250 per week, but adding that his annual net winnings last year were about £250,000.
The district judge noted the level of alcohol and that the reading was taken so long after the collision, and that aggravating factors were the fact a collision occurred, and that Oisin had a passenger.
“You’re lucky that neither you, your passenger nor the public was caused any injury as a result of your actions,” he said. “I balance that with your remorse, you admitted at the first opportunity you were the driver of the vehicle and cooperated with the procedure at the police station. You recognise you’ve let the public and your colleagues down.”
Oisin was fined £70,000 and must pay a £2,000 surcharge and £85 costs. He was banned from driving for 20 months, which will be reduced by 20 weeks if he completes a drink-driving rehabilitation scheme by next August.
Serious offence
A BHA spokesperson said: “Everyone at the BHA, like all involved in our sport, is disappointed today having learned the details of the offence to which Oisin Murphy has pleaded guilty. This is a very serious offence that, in the course of being committed, saw Mr Murphy jeopardise not only his own safety but that of his passenger and all other people travelling on the roads at the same time as him that night.
“His conduct fell a long way short of the standard we expect of all licensed individuals, in whom we place trust that they will represent our sport to the best of their abilities, upholding our collective reputation and ensuring racing is a safe place for all.
“In light of Mr Murphy’s guilty plea and the information revealed in court today, we will be working on the addition of new conditions on his licence that may be referred to the licensing committee for their consideration. As has been the case in recent weeks, Mr Murphy remains free to take up his riding engagements.
“We will issue an update on this process in due course and will be making no further comment at this time.”
In a statement on social media this afternoon, Oisin said he wanted to “sincerely apologise” for his actions.
“I know that drink driving is unacceptable and there is no excuse for what I did,” he said. “I have let a lot of people down. I particularly want to apologise to my passenger and her family. Due to the police investigation, I have so far been able to share only minimal details of my offence with the [BHA]. I will now be fully cooperative with their enquiries.
“It would not be appropriate for me to comment further until that process is concluded.”
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Eleanor is an experienced journalist who spent over eight years working for local and national newspapers before joining H&H as news editor in March 2016. Passionate about equine welfare and exposing the truth, Eleanor has reported on all aspects of the industry, from Brexit to anti-bullying campaigns, and from dressage rules to mules. Her sport of choice is showjumping, in which she competes her own horses, and she also enjoys reporting at local jumping shows through to international championships.
